Juneteenth brings Springfield residents together to celebrate abolition of slavery

As Gwen Marshall called out bingo words in the Saturday afternoon heat, she didn't just want a game for children to play, but to teach them about Juneteenth.

"Many kids really don’t know Juneteenth," said Marshall, an equity and access specialist with Springfield Public Schools. "What is it all about? What are we celebrating? Why are we out in the park? I wanted to do something where I could teach as well."

Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery. A celebration with Springfield NAACP was held June 29 at Silver Springs Park. During segregation, Silver Springs was the city’s only public park designated for black residents, according to the Springfield-Greene County Park Board's website.

"What are we celebrating?" Marshall asked the children. "Freedom."

Attending a Juneteenth celebration means the historic day isn't forgotten, she said.

"All of that is so this next generation understands the struggle that we have gone through to even get here — 2019," Marshall said. "We, African Americans who are here now, are the seed of those in the struggle. We want to never forget that. We never want to forget our ancestors. We never want to forget what they did and how they never gave up."

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Marcella Donson places her handprint on a painting which featured a clenched fist with Pride colors on display at the Greene County Democratic Progressive Caucus booth during the Juneteenth Celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo.(Photo: Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader)

At one booth, Juneteenth attendees were invited to paint their own palms and leave handprints on LaTeya King's painting, which featured a clenched fist with Pride colors. It was on display at the Greene County Democratic Progressive Caucus booth.

Springfield NAACP President Toni Robinson said this may have been the largest Juneteenth celebration yet, and she expects the event to continue to grow.

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Springfield NAACP President Toni Robinson speaks to the crowd during a Juneteenth celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo.(Photo: Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader)

In February, Robinson and the GLO Center announced the annual Greater Ozarks PrideFest was moving from June to October in order to better support two groups who have been historically discriminated against.

"The inclusivity is all the more bigger now, not only because they have a queer leader, but people are seeing the necessity of having collaboration and not dividing us up," Robinson said. "People that are black and queer don’t have to divide that."

There were still several queer organizations among the vendors at the Juneteenth celebration, Robinson said.

"Now that I know a lot of my queer and trans people of color are going to come out (Saturday), I have organizations welcoming them as well," Robinson said.

Robinson said she hopes everyone who came felt welcomed and loved.

Greater Ozarks PrideFest is scheduled for Oct. 12.

Ribbon-cutting at Timmons Hall

As the Juneteenth Celebration was underway, a historically black church officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony just across Silver Springs Park. Timmons Temple, built in 1932, was seen for a time as an anchor of the area's African-American community. Its new name is Timmons Hall.

The reopening comes after four years of restoration work overseen by the local group Friends of Timmons Temple, which sought to preserve the building with its distinctive rock exterior, according to a Springfield-Greene County Park Board news release.

Having the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the same day as the Juneteenth celebration was a "happy coincidence," said Park Board Public Information Administrator Jenny Edwards.

"It’s gratifying to see so many people in the park, and that’s exactly what we had visualized for this building," Edwards said.

The building will now serve as an event facility offering historic, cultural and educational opportunities and will be owned and operated by the park board under the direction of Christine Peoples, the newly named Timmons Hall coordinator.

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Marcella Donson places her handprint on a painting which featured a clenched fist with Pride colors on display at the Greene County Democratic Progressive Caucus booth during the Juneteenth Celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader

A performer dances onstage during a Juneteenth Celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader

Juneteenth attendees watch a performer onstage during the celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader

The Springfield NAACP held a Juneteenth Celebration at Silver Springs Park in Springfield, Mo., on Saturday, June 29, 2019. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader

LaTajiya King places her hand in paint to add to a painting at the Greene County Democratic Progressive Caucus booth during a Juneteenth celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader

The Springfield NAACP held a Juneteenth Celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader

The Springfield NAACP held a Juneteenth Celebration at Silver Springs Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader